The newly unveiled Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums — the History Alive! Award will be presented for the first time to the Centre des sciences de Montréal for their exhibit titled, Branle-bas de combat! (Action Stations!). Their virtual exhibition yielded never-before released images of the untold story of the importance of the port of Montréal during the Second World War.
“We are very proud to award this first Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums to the Montréal Science Centre for its innovative project Branle-bas de combat!. This unique project brings to life the people that lived and worked in the old port of Montréal during the Second World War in a very dynamic way,” says John G. McAvity, Executive Director of the Canadian Museums Association. “Thanks to the close collaboration between the centre’s personnel and the Montréal community, the stories presented in this interactive exhibition are now accessible to a whole new audience.”
The Montreal Science Centre is a cultural institution managed and funded by the Old Port of Montréal, a federal Crown corporation whose mandate is, among other things, the protection and enhancement of the industrial heritage of the port.
Honourable mentions include:
Canadian Museum of Civilization: for Expedition: Arctic exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (Gatineau, QC). This project revisits the triumphs and tragedies of the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913–1918 and added immensely to the understanding of Canada’s Western Arctic and the cultures of its First Peoples. It features over 250 artefacts and specimens.
Grey Roots Museum and Archives: for The Good People Know Our Stories, Know Us (Georgian Bluffs, ON). This exhibit highlights fifteen traditional Anishnabek stories, each of which contains morals, lessons and insight into what it means to be Ojibwa.
Strathcona County Museum and Archives: for 100 Years Ago in Strathcona County Historical Vignettes (Sherwood Park, AB). The goal of this multimedia project is to enhance the promotion of the County’s history and heritage to students, parents, educators and the community by stimulating their interest with brief stories about local heritage.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum: for Voices from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (Ottawa, ON). This project is a documentary series that set out to bring back the spotlight on and capture the first hand accounts of the exploits of some of the men who left their mark on Canada’s aviation history.
The Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! is presented by the Canadian Museums Association and Ecclesiastical Insurance.
